Florida state officials have approved new rules stipulating that college teachers and students must use bathrooms based on their biological sex, with strict penalties for those who violate the rules. The Florida State Board of Education adopted the rules, which require the Florida College System to ensure that restrooms and changing facilities are designated for exclusive use by males or females based on their sex at birth. The rules include disciplinary measures such as verbal warnings, reprimands, suspension without pay, and termination for personnel who violate the rules.
The rules are a result of House Bill 1521, signed into law by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis in May. The bill, known as Safety in Private Spaces Act, prohibits individuals from willfully entering restrooms or changing facilities designated for the opposite sex and considers refusal to obey such requests as an offense. The law came into effect on July 1 and applies to K-12 educational institutions, detention facilities, locker rooms, and all public buildings.
Supporters of the rules argue that they are necessary to ensure the safety of students, especially girls and women, while leftist and liberal ideologues claim that it harms transgender individuals and the LGBTQ+ community. Allegedly, the rules create a hostile environment and aim to root transgender people out of Florida. Obviously, proponents of transgender ideology only care about this small group of individuals and have complete disregard for girls and women whose safety should be among top priorities in state legislature.
The Florida decision follows a similar controversy in Pennsylvania, where a transgender tennis coach has been accused of using bathrooms designated for the opposite sex and exposing himself in front of the girls’ soccer team. Complaints have been filed repeatedly against the teacher Sasha Yates, born David, due to him entering the girls’ locker rooms and bathrooms on several occasions.The school board was set to vote on the coach’s contract renewal, but the vote did not take place. Advocacy group America First Legal has taken up the case, demanding the release of employment records and stating they will fight to protect the rule of law and parental rights.